Location & Schedule

  • I teach lessons in my Friendswood home, located by the softball fields and water tower.

    My heated pool is completely indoors.

  • Neither! My pool is chlorine-fee AND salt-free. I own an Oxygen Pool, which means that there are no chemicals in my pool. It is treated by infusing ozone into the water to oxidize contaminants.

  • Lessons are held Monday-Friday, for a maximum of 10 minutes per day, and are offered thoughout the day, from early morning to early evening. It takes a child anywhere from 4-8 weeks to become ISR Skilled. For example, an older child, with ISR experience will be on the shorter side, and a young toddler, who is new to the program, will likely be on the longer side. Each child continues weekly lessons until they are fully ISR Skilled

  • All lessons are always one-on-one, between the instructor and the child, while the parent/caregiver sits poolside. ISR does not offer group lessons.

  • I am happy to teach your child at any time! Here are some things to consider in respect to seasons:

    Spring/Summer: We know many parents consider swim lessons in the warmer months, and that is certainly ok! While it is most ideal to keep your little one out of the pool while they are in lessons, I can certainly help you navigate some “dos” & “don’t’s” to help keep confusion at bay with your child. (Many times pool play can be opposite to what they are learning in lessons.) At the end of the course you will get in the pool with me and your child so that you can be shown how to practice and play with your little one without compromising their self-rescue skills.

    Fall/Winter: We encourage families to consider lessons in the "off season" to arm their child with aquatic skills BEFORE pools open for the summer, since lessons can last anywhere from 4-8 weeks, depending on the child.

    Most importantly, regardless of what season your child learns in, continuation of maintenance lessons will be recommended.

Lesson Structure

  • All lessons are always one-on-one to ensure personalization and safety.

  • Parents/Caregivers are initially asked to sit poolside, while cheering their little one on. There will come a time, typically at the end of the course, when you will be asked to get in the water with me so I can show you how to comfortably swim with your child using their new skills.

  • Yes! All students must complete a medical history review conducted by ISR’s nursing team. They provide tailored protocols to address individual needs, ensuring a safe and customized learning experience.

  • Short answer: no.

    In September 2018, the American College of Emergency Physicians declared that terminology such as “dry drowning,” “wet drowning,” “near drowning,” “secondary drowning,” and “delayed drowning,” should no longer be used. 

    There are three medically recognized types of drowning: (1) fatal, (2) nonfatal with injuries, and (3) nonfatal without injuries. 

    Unfortunately the outdated terms are continuously sensationalized and used by the media. 

    Drowning does not happen days to a week after being in water. There are no medically accepted conditions known as ‘near-drowning,’ ‘dry drowning’ and ‘secondary drowning.'

    As for the concern about inhaling water during swimming: There are 2 tubes– esophagus which goes to the stomach and the trachea which goes to the lungs. If water is swallowed it goes to the stomach & is absorbed or peed out. The epiglottis naturally blocks water from going into the lungs. A child would have to be unconscious or the epiglottis would have to be jarred in some way for it not to function properly. If a child inhales some water while playing in the bath or gets dunked in the pool during water tag, there’s no need to worry.

    Here are some reputable sources to check out:

Age & Experience

  • ISR likes to say, “The Sooner, The Safer!” because drowning is the leading cause of accidental death in children under 5, but we are happy to begin teaching a child at any age!

    The ISR program is geared for infants and children aged 6 months-6 years, but really there is no upper age limit!

    On the younger end, he or she must be 6 months AND must be able to get into a sitting position independently, and maintain it for at least a minute, in order to enroll in ISR Lessons.

  • Some children cry the first few lesson due to being in a new building, a new pool, and with a stranger, to name a few reasons.

    There is an important difference between fear and apprehension because you are not yet skilled in a new environment. Like going to a new school or beginning a new activity, it's normal to see some tears or hear some protesting during the first few ISR lessons.

    It's important for us to teach your child to trust his/her instructor and eventually to trust the water. The parent or caregiver is encouraged to sit poolside and be the child’s best cheerleader. Remember, they are looking to you for cues.

    The best thing you can do for your child is to approach lessons like you do the car seat. Sometimes kids hate the car seat—they scream and pitch a complete fit about going in.  But we don't apologize to them or feel bad that they are crying about it because we know with absolute certainty it is what's best for them to keep them safe.

    ISR is the same way—these are life skills that they will use and are proof of your commitment to their safety and wellbeing as their parents. If parents are super emotional that first week because their children are adjusting to lessons, the children can feel that! The more relaxed and at ease you are, the faster they will adapt to this new environment. And within a few weeks, most children can't wait to come to lessons.

    Fear is a learned behavior. We didn't come out of the womb afraid of spiders or water or large dogs. When someone has a negative experience that involves a fearful object or experience, fear is developed. Your child will only truly be fearful of the water if he or she has witnessed or experienced a traumatic aquatic event.

Subsequent Lessons

  • We encourage registering for Refresher Lessons at least once a year, after your child’s initial learning. These follow-up lessons will ensure your little one gets to adjust their skills to their rapid growth, as well as expand on the year’s previous skills. Refresher Lessons are every weekday, Monday-Friday. They work the same as the child’s first year of ISR Lessons, where the child comes to lessons until they show independence and confidence in the water with their ISR Skills. However, since ISR Skills are not new to the child, they typically complete lessons in a shorter time frame each year.

  • Maintenance Lessons are one-time lessons that can be scheduled periodically, and are highly recommended so that ISR Skills stay sharp and intact.

    ISR Self-Rescue Skills are a sensorimotor skill and therefore not simply forgotten, although these skills can certainly get rusty without use.

    Once a child learns any skill (swimming, piano, dance, etc.) they should continue regular, consistent practice to get “better.” 

    For example, once your child learns to play the piano, you don’t take the piano away from them for a few months, and then expect them to pick it right back up and play at the same skill they had when they were consistently practicing. 

    Many parent also like to give their kids private athletic lessons.  If we give our children private (insert private athletic lessons here), we take them every week or so, in order for them to hone in on that skill, so they can be the best performer they can be.   The same thinking is just as advantageous for self-rescue lessons.

    Additionally, if a skill isn’t used, or if differentiable habits interfere, their skills can certainly become compromised. Since we are talking about a life-saving skill, we want to do everything possible to keep practicing so that those skills stay intact and polished.

Pricing & Enrollment

  • There are two costs associated with ISR Self-Rescue lessons: Instructor fees and National ISR Registration fees.

    Instructor Fees

    Lessons are $140 per week. The first week’s tuition is due upon securing a lesson spot and is non-refundable.

    Registration Fees

    A one-time $105 ISR registration fee (non-refundable) is also required and covers a medical background check. Registration updates are then $40 annually.

    If payments are a hardship for your family, especially with multiple siblings, ask about making payment arrangements . Also, once registered, each family has their own unique gift code link in their portal which you can give to family and friends next time they are looking for that perfect gift.

  • ISR has been researched and developed for almost 60 years. It is globally recognized as the safest swim program for infants and children. Your child will learn life-saving skills that traditional lessons do not provide.

    1) ISR teaches your child to SWIM with their face in the water. We use absolutely no flotation devices (noodles, swim barbells, puddle jumpers, etc.). When a child finds themselves in the water alone, they are typically not holding on to any type of flotation device. We teach your child to be totally independent in the water.

    2) ISR teaches your child to float on their back when they need to take a rest and breath. Being horizontal, on one’s back, is the survival position. A child can not continuously tread water without getting tired. Being vertical, and bouncing up-and-down in the water, is considered the drowning position. We teach a child to be completely horizontal, while resting on their back.

    3) Many parents seek ISR after spending hundreds of dollars on traditional swim programs, frustrated because their child doesn’t have any discernible skills after weeks, months, or even years of lessons.

    4) You end up spending more money over time on traditional lessons that are taught by former high school swimmers or college students trying to make some spending money over the summer.

    5) Every ISR instructor undergoes 8 weeks of intense training. Hands on, in the pool with an ISR Master Instructor and students, learning the ISR method. For 8 weeks, we are in the pool 5x per week for several hours a day, for a minimum of 60 hours with ACTUAL students. In addition, we receive extensive hours of academic training in anatomy, physiology, child psychology, behavior and development, sensorimotor learning, and how each relates to the aquatic environment. Every instructor also maintains CPR and First Aid certifications, as well as annual recertification and testing to maintain our ISR certification and skills.

    Lastly, if you add up what you’d spend in a traditional swim program for a few weeks during the summer – where your child leaves the class with little to no skills – and then multiply that by every summer until they are 6 years old, this program costs significantly less and the value is infinitely greater.

  • The success of ISR training relies heavily on consistent attendance

    Lessons missed by the family are not typically credited or made-up because lessons are priced by the timeslot. For extenuating circumstances or prolonged illness (that requires a medical update) lessons may be credited for another lesson.

    If I personally need to cancel for any reason, then you are not charged.

    It is important to note that each child finishes the course at their own pace. (But they all do master it!) When planning for duration of lessons, especially if there are absences, it helps to count days, rather than weeks. For example, to gauge an approximate end date, rather than planning out “6 calendar weeks,” it helps to count out “30 lesson days” instead. Regardless, all children will come to lessons until they are completely ISR Skilled.

    I understand that life events happen, but consistent attendance is crucial for skill development. Please plan your schedule accordingly to maximize your child's learning experience.

  • Please visit my Scheduler to see available times and start dates. Once a time is selected, it will walk you through the rest of the ISR registration process.

  • Please put your name on the waitlist if you do not see anything that fits your schedule. Things do change and I would love to work your child in if possible. 

    If you are flexible with start dates and times, which may mean coming at a different time each week, please email me (a.merkle@infantswim.com) and I may be able to work your child in.